Malaysia International Fireworks Competition 2008 photo contest !!
Just submit your best shot of MIFC 2008 photo to the forum,
You stand a chance to win RM100 cash !!!
it is simple, it is easy, it is rewarding !!
for more information, please head to :
http://forum.d2mx.net/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=46
Contest ends on 30th September 2008.
Malaysia International Fireworks Competition, MIFC 2008 is here, after a year of the successful event. It is here again. Be there, join the biggest fireworks event in Malaysia. As u can read it on my previous entries here and here, this event opened my world to photography last year.
Malaysia International Fireworks Competition
Venue : Putrajaya International Convention Center, PICC
Date :
Malaysia - August 12 2008
China - August 16 2008
Canada - August 20 2008
Spain - August 24 2008
Grand finale - August 29 2008
Admission : FREE !! YA, FREE !!
Time : No official informations yet, but expected to be around 9pm-12am
official sites:
http://www.mifc.com.my/
http://www.mifc.com.my/mifc08/index.html
10 DSLR Photography Tips:
1) A tripod is a must
2) Bring extra batteries if u have, long exposure time eats the juice fast. Extra memory cards too.
3) Use your widest lens, Ultra Wide Angle lens like 10-20mm works wonder.
4) Use the lowest ISO.
5) Aperture should be between f/10 to f22, to create a wide Depth of Field.
6) Exposure time should be around 2-6 seconds, depending on fireworks type.
7) Use bulb mode if you have, it lets u get the timing more accurately.
8 ) If you like to have a photo where all the fireworks cramped together, use the black card techniques.
-under bulb mode or long exposure time (most probably 30seconds if no bulb),
-cover the lens with a sheet black card,
-when the firework has been shot up
-remove the black card to expose the sensor
-after the firework, cover it back with the black card again to avoid extra light going into the sensor
-do this for every shots of the firework.
-end the bulb mode, if u are using bulb mode.
9) Don’t worry about underexpose with lower ISO and small aperture, as fireworks are very bright.
10) Enjoy the show 
10 Prosumer / Point and Shoot Camera Photography Tips:
1) Again, a tripod is a must
2) Again, extra batteries, and memory cards.
3) Set your camera lens to widest
4) Use the lowest ISO
5) For prosumer, aperture should be around f/5-f/8, doesn’t really matter, the Depth of Field for these cameras is always wide.
6) If you can set the exposure time on your camera, set it to 2-4 seconds, if you cant, just use the Fireworks Scene Mode
7) Press the shutter release button when you see the shot is right up on the sky and about the explode into fireworks. Press it earlier if u want to have the trails.
8 ) Prosumer / Point and Shoot camera has less processing capability, thus a lag between shot is expected, especially for long exposure time. Be patient.
9) Don’t feel shame / embarrass / humble if the person beside you use a DSLR + big lens. Your camera can shoot nice fireworks photograph as well. It doesn’t need a DSLR to get a nice firework photo.
10) Enjoy the show
10 Things to remember:
1) be there early to get a nice spot, and get ready for the massive traffic jams after the event,
2) despite the traffic jams, it still worth for it.. It is a great event.
3) It is a must-not-miss event for all photographers.
4) bring you camera although it is not a DSLR, any point and shoot camera should work well.
5) bring you tripod as well, no way you can hold your camera still for seconds.
6) please car pool with your friends to minimized the traffic congestion.
7) Don’t block ppl view by using stools or ladders, sit down if u can.
8 ) Don’t leave your rubbish around the area after the event.
9) Bring an umbrella, as it might rains.
10) See you there. /b/
Time does fly, doesn’t it ? It has been a month that I have written the first part of my photography journey here. I guess now it is time for me to continue the story.. lol.
Ok, where we stop ? Oh.. ya.. I had bought the Canon S3IS from my friend. After a week using it, I had found out that it was a real great camera, which I could have controls on how I want my photo to be taken. I tooke this camera and went to the MIFC 2007 at Putrajaya again, in the mission to capture some nice fireworks images. I didn’t manage to get a nice exposed photo at first. After I tried different settings, I managed to snap a series of nice fireworks photos, this was the first time for me to capture fireworks photos and I couldn’t imagine the experience was so much fun and exciting.
Alright, I know what, no more talking, you guys must be curious to see the photos I managed to snap on MIFC 2007. Here they are.. These photos are selected from the other ppl blocking, bad fireworks timing, smoke and cloud reflections/distraction photos. Enjoy..
Click on the images to view them in full size.
Hmm.. Let’s take a ride on time machine, I started serious about photography in August 2007. Well, previously I had a Kodak C340 compact camera (and I still have it till now), but back in that time, I was not that serious and passionate about photography, all I did was using Auto mode, and start Point and Shooting, without caring much about the composition and such, and never spent times reading photography articles, tutorials, and of course not buying any magazines.
So, what makes me jump into the world of photography ? The answer - Malaysia International Fireworks Competition. http://www.mifc.com.my
MIFC was an event held on Aug-Sep 2007, at Putrajaya. I came to know about this event when I saw a banner in a shopping complex. After I google the infos, asked around my friends to see who was interested, I went on the first day. That was the first time I went inside Putrajaya International Convention Centre. As expected, the place was crowded that night, and luckily we went there early.
For the first night of MIFC, I didn’t bring any camera, except my 6630 handphone camera..lol. I just spent my time watching the fireworks. My friend, Doomsday, he brought two cameras to there, Canon PowerShot A550 and the othe was a LOMO fisheye camera, which I am not sure what model was that, but I saw a crab logo on that camera..lol.
For couple of times, he was using the LOMO fisheye camera, then I used the A550 and tried to snap the fireworks on the sky. I didn’t know much about camera settings for shooting fireworks that time, so all I did was using the preset Fireworks Scene Mode available on the camera. And Of course, the photos I managed to get was all shaky and blur, due to handshakes in long exposure time. The fireworks only lasted for about 10 minutes, as that was just an introduction for the event, more fireworks on next week and after.
After that night, I start to search for fireworks photos on the web. I start lurking around in the photography forum, I start to read techniques and guides for fireworks photography. And at the same time, I stumble upon a Canon camera, Powershot S3is. I read a lot of positive reviews and experiences of this camera, from camera review sites to users groups. And what’s more interesting, one of my classmate is actually using this camera, and he wants to sell it off. I ask him why he wants to let it go since it is a great camera, he says he wants to quit photography, and go deeper in ICE (In-Car Entertainment) or Video Cam.
Well, maybe it all happens by chances or it is all fated, I buy the camera from him, as he offers me 0% installment scheme..lol. Here is a picture how Powershot S3IS looks like.
No doubt the S3IS is a great camera, it allows full manual controls. After I got the PowerShot S3IS, I start fiddling the camera settings, exposure time, aperture, ISO and such. I start reading more and more photography tutorials and articles, lurking around online photo album and gallery. With all these things, it really opens me to a new world, the world of photography.
to be continued…
Update : Part 2 is done, read it here.
